Jury Decides: Woods To Die

Victim's Wife: At Least Woods Won't Be Hurting Anyone Else

March 11, 1997|By Frank Stanfield of The Sentinel Staff

TAVARES — By an 8-4 vote, jury members decided on Monday that Terry Woods should die in the electric chair for killing a Leesburg retiree.

Woods, 25, ducked his head briefly and blinked his eyes when the jury recommended that he should die instead of spending the rest of his life in prison in the slaying of Clarence ''Matt'' Langford, 65, and the attempted murder of his wife, Pamela, 63.

Defense psychologist Dr. Karen Estell said Woods has an IQ of 77. The average is 100.

Woods has an ''adjustment disorder,'' she said. He might ''act out,'' is immature and is ''very concerned about how he is perceived.''

She conceded that Woods lied on at least one of the psychological tests to make himself look better.

Assistant State Attorney J.J. Dahl argued with Estell that Woods fit more into the ''antisocial disorder'' category - a smiling con man, motivated by money, with no respect for others.

Della Harris, a mother of eight, wept and said Woods is a ''wonderful son.''

''He does respect and love people,'' she said.

Woods cried while listening to his 16-year-old brother, Jerry Ellis. Ellis said Woods constantly tells him to stay in school.

Assistant State Attorney Bill Gross told jurors that it was all about making choices. Woods made the choice to shoot Clarence Langford three times and Pamela Langford twice, after deceiving them into thinking he was going to buy a vintage 1961 Chevy from the couple. Woods tried to set the trap the night before, which shows premeditation, Gross said.

''Can you see him smiling as he walked from the library to the car with a gun in his pocket?

''Mrs. Langford can, every time she thinks back. Can you hear him ask about their grandson, knowing full well that the grandson would never see his grandparents again?'' Gross said.